A recent Pew survey found that an unprecedented one in five Americans now say they are not affiliated with any religious denomination. Or, looked at another way, nearly four out of five identify with an organized faith. Research also shows those Americans overstate how often they go to church by about half....

Not surprising. A good example is the very wide discrepancy in the Episcopal Church, between claimed “members” (still claiming 2 million plus?) and supposed actual attendance (around 600,000 and falling?). Certainly the mainline denominations are going the way of the Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias and the Grange Hall, despite all their pronouncements.

About 15 years ago, after hearing the results of yet another Gallup Poll claiming that something like 80% of Americans say they are born again Christians, and 40%+ say they’re in church every Sunday, I said to a friend, “Where are they finding these people?” In the course of the conversation, I remember saying to my friend, “If I ever meet George Gallup, I’m going to ask him” about these implausible poll results.

Barely a month later, I was actually introduced to George Gallup. I became speechless as I stood, shaking his hand and looking up at this giant… I completely lost my nerve, and never asked him my question. I later learned that at that time he was no longer actively involved in the Gallup Poll business and had no direct responsibility for those polls.